Over the past week, two BBC articles caught my attention. One article explored school attendance, and another focused on student engagement and pathways into employment but together pointing to a much wider issue.

For me, these articles aren’t just education stories, they are a workforce and business story. Ultimately, it points to a growing talent pipeline crisis.

So what is happening?

Across the UK, there’s increasing evidence that the traditional route from school into further education and then into employment is under strain. According to goverment data, we’re seeing higher levels of school absence since the pandemic, more young people disengaging from education, and ongoing challenges around mental health, motivation and belonging. 

At the same time, vocational pathways and apprenticeships, which should be a key bridge into work, are not as strong or accessible as they need to be. And as a result of this, more young people are at risk of leaving education without the confidence, direction or qualifications they need to take the next step.

How I Know This From My Experience

Early exposure to the workplace can make a huge difference. I still remember my own experience working at Next while I was at college, it gave me confidence, real-world understanding, and an early insight into how businesses operate and has helped me along the way in my career to where I am today.

From my perspective, both as an HR practitioner and through working closely with local schools and colleges, this isn’t just a short-term issue. It’s the early signs of a growing disconnect between education and employment. 

We often talk about “talent shortages” in business, but the reality is that the problem starts much earlier. By the time organisations are trying to recruit, the pipeline has already narrowed. I often think of this as a kind of “broken middle”, the transition point between education and the workplace where too many people lose momentum.

What’s interesting is that many young people are more open to alternatives like apprenticeships, but the opportunities aren’t always there, or aren’t easy to access. 

For many SMEs, there are still barriers to engaging with schools and colleges in a meaningful way. So what happens is exactly what you’d expect: capable, talented individuals falling through the cracks. Not because they lack potential, but because the system doesn’t connect. And in my role as a school governor, I see this first-hand; students who need more direction and confidence, teachers are working incredibly hard within stretched systems and colleges trying to balance academic performance with real-world readiness.

There is no shortage of talent, but there is a gap in how that talent is supported, developed and ultimately seen by employers.

So what needs to change?

For me, this is where employers have a much bigger role to play than we sometimes realise. This isn’t something policy alone can fix. It requires businesses to step in earlier, and not just at the point of hiring, but much further upstream.

That might mean creating more opportunities for meaningful work experience, building stronger relationships with local schools and colleges, or simply being more present in those early conversations about careers and pathways.

Apprenticeships also need to work better, particularly for smaller businesses. There’s clearly interest from young people, but the system can feel difficult to navigate. Alongside technical ability, we need to focus more on the broader skills such as communication, confidence, and resilience, that make people ready for the workplace, not just qualified for it.

If there’s one message I’d leave with business leaders, it’s this: Talent strategy doesn’t start at recruitment. It starts in education.

What we’re seeing now are early indicators of a much bigger issue. If we don’t address it, skills shortages will deepen, productivity will continue to be under pressure, and opportunities will become more uneven. By engaging earlier, supporting the next generation, and thinking more long-term about talent, businesses can play a meaningful role in shaping a stronger, more resilient workforce.

As an HR consultancy, we spend a lot of time helping organisations solve immediate challenges. But the bigger question is who is thinking about the workforce of 5–10 years from now? Because right now, that workforce is sitting in a classroom, and too many are at risk of being left behind.